System and method for enhancing recorded radio or television programs with information on the world wide web

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a system, method and computer program for enabling a user to access complementary information related to one or a plurality of sequences or topics of interest in a recorded program previously broadcast on the radio or television and played back on a device, such as an audio or video tape or disk recorder/player. The system is based on the synchronization of local times of transmitters and recorders. The synchronization is done referring to an absolute or universal time such as the Global Positioning System Time (GPS-time), the Global Orbiting Navigational Satellite System (GLONASS) time or another suitable universal time based on a satellite system. The system is also based on a plurality of hyperlinks defined during the production and recording of the broadcast program, for given sequences corresponding to particular intervals of time synchronized with the universal (absolute) time.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is continuation of and claims benefit to U.S. Ser. No.10/476,921, filed on Oct. 31, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,984,472 which isa national stage application of and claims priority from PCT ApplicationPCT/EP02/04329, filed Mar. 28, 2002, which claims priority from EuropeanApplication No. 01480032.0, filed May 10, 2001. These disclosures arehereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. The abovePCT International Application was published in the English language andhas International Publication No. WO 02/091744 A2.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to techniques for integratingbroadcast and computer systems, and more particularly to a system and amethod for enhancing recorded radio or television programs withinformation on the World Wide Web.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

New electronic communication technology is transforming societies allover the globe. In a digital world of high bandwidth and massivecomputing power, there is a substantial interest today for convergingcomputing, telecommunications, broadcast radio and television with theWorld Wide Web.

Broadcasting

Media consumers have a need for additional services. When people watchlive or recorded television programs, they would like to have access torelated complementary data, such as stocks and product prices, trafficand weather conditions, athletic records on Olympic Games or updatedfootball scores. The complementary information associated with anon-line or a recorded broadcast program may consist of the biography ofa player in a football match, an historical background on events citedon a news program or the recipe of an apple cake on a cooking show. Manyorganizations today want to store and manipulate audiovisual interactivedata. For example, companies, schools, colleges, and universities have aneed to store course lectures, demonstrations, simulations, and otherinteractive courseware on-line.

On the providers side, new sources of profit are expected by enhancingand extending the quantity and quality of services and information thatis provided or that is made accessible to auditors or viewers oftelevision or radio programs.

On the media consumer side, people are looking for more information ordata about what they hear or view in programs recorded from live radioor television transmissions.

To provide these services from one-way broadcast programs recorded onconventional recorders—such as are conventional audio or video cassetterecorders (VCRs)—, the problem is that people have no means to interactdirectly with the recorded programs to seek additional information orservices.

On-Line Services on the Web

In our society, independently of the massive development of radio andtelevision, on-line services such as those provided by the World WideWeb (i.e., the Web) have rapidly emerged and are now widely available.Such on-line services based on the Internet provide access to a hugeamount of information on an interactive basis. The Internet is a globalnetwork of computers. The Internet connects computers based on a varietyof different operating systems or languages using a language referred toas TCP/IP (“Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol”). With theincreasing size and complexity of the Internet, tools have beendeveloped to help find information on the network, often called“navigators” or “navigation systems”. The World Wide Web (“WWW” or “theWeb”) is a recent superior navigation system. The Web is:

-   -   An Internet-based navigation system,    -   An information distribution and management system for the        Internet, and    -   A dynamic format for communicating on the Web.

The Web integrates images, text, audio and video. A user on the Webusing a graphical user interface can transparently communicate withdifferent computers on the system, and different system applications,and different information formats for files and documents including, forexample, text, sound and graphics.

Internet and the Web is transforming our society. They offer to millionsof users the opportunity to access and exchange information and tocommunicate between each other. Currently, on-line systems on the Weboffer a variety of different services to users, for instance, privatemessage services, electronic commerce, news, real-time games, access toelectronic databases, electronic newsletters, business-to-businesstransactions, or job placement services. But, even if such on-lineservices are now available, the searching and finding of the relevantinformation on the Web remains an arduous task, sometimes taking hours,even for experienced users.

Internet is essentially an open, multi-point to multi-point network,where each user can select and retrieve different information from manydifferent servers. Today, most on-line interactions with the Web occurmerely through textual inputs for instance by entering URLs (UniformResource Locator) names, by entering search words on search tools, byactivating textual hyperlinks on HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)documents. Even if in a near future, the development of audiovisualinterfaces (e.g., human speech interfaces, Web-phone integration) willrender textual inputs less and less dominant in on-line environments,there is a good chance that the Web remains user unfriendly due to itsmassiveness, its lack of organization, and its randomness. Simplystated, in the Web there is no order or direction. Information remainsmost of the time hard to find and, even worse, in a foreseeable future,it will remain a difficult task to find the required information intothe desired context.

Interactive Television and WebTV

There is an advantage on providing useful complementary Web informationin the context of a live or recorded broadcast program. On another side,the use of television sets as a terminal for accessing the Web isincreasing every year. The consequence of this development is theintegration of Web and television by transmitting along with a videosignal a Web page showing for example statistics related to a playerduring a sports game.

The integration of television and Web, widely known as WebTV, has beenmade possible by the arrival of digital television. The data processingtechnology and the transmission technology used for the television andthe Web are converging. Now television sets are more and more“intelligent”, and this intelligence requires the upgrading of hardwarein particular for supporting the Web functions. In fact, many of theservices associated with WebTV are available today on the Web.

The most obvious trend for the Web on television (i.e., the WebTV) is tointegrate the Web in the broadcast and cable television. The mostimportant point of design is to know what program the user is watching.In this regard today, WebTV works with selected television producers toprovide hyperlinks during programs or commercials. These hyperlinks areused to access additional information concerning the television programsthrough the WebTV service.

In the effort for converging interactive services and media, aconsortium of communication companies promotes a set of standards forinteractive television and WebTV known as “enhanced television”. Forexample, the Advanced Television Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) is across-industry alliance of companies in the field of cable networks,radio and television, consumer electronics, and personal computers. Thisalliance of companies has defined some protocols for a television basedon the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) to allow content creators todeliver enhanced programs over all forms of transport (analog, digital,cable, and satellite) to any “intelligent” receiver. The ATVEF group iscommitted to accelerate the creation and distribution of enhancedtelevision programs so that consumers can receive programs in the leastexpensive and most convenient possible way. Details on the ATVEF areavailable at: atvef.com.

Despite its considerable support (e.g., Disney, CNN, NBC, Intel,Deutsche Telecom, Nokia, iXL, set-top boxes manufacturer Pace Micro, andMicrosoft, among other), the ATVEF standards are not the only standardsfor interactive television and WebTV. A wide array of standards such asthe U.S.-based Advanced Television Systems Committee and Digital VideoBroadcasting in Europe are looking into issues such as, for example, howto advance TV through the use of Sun Microsystems' Java language. SunMicrosystems, who owns the OpenTV, is among these who haven't signed onto ATVEF standards, in contrast with Microsoft, one of the founders ofthe ATVEF effort. OpenTV is emphasizing the use of Java in televisionsystems to address the issue of making enhanced TV services availableacross multiple devices. While ATVEF focuses on the display of contenton multiple platforms, JavaTV, the software sponsored by OpenTV, focuseson hardware compatibility.

There are other standardization efforts which can potentially have aneffect on the market. For example CableLabs, the industry's researchconsortium, attempts to set hardware and software standards to enablethe execution of applications on any platform. W3C, the Internet User'sConsortium, has initiated a forum involving the television community andthe Internet community. The theme is “Real-Time Multimedia and the Web”.The technologies that may be adopted by the ATT company may alsoinfluence the future market trends.

With so many ongoing initiatives, the problem is that today many peoplein the broadcast industry don't really know which direction the marketis going. Quoting Jonathan Taplin, Intertainer's co-chief executive: “Webelieve the history of interactive TV is just about to be written. Whatwe need is a common language to write to”.

Also, in an article on Jun. 17, 1999, on CNET News.com, entitled“Rivalries' technologies confuse set-top market”, Jim Davis summarizedthe situation as follows: “Despite the homilies and Industrial Agemetaphors espoused at a big cable convention here, (in Chicago) manyroadblocks still stand in the way of mass use of the new TV set-topboxes, interactive television, and other services”.

More recently, articles like the one entitled: “Will interactiveinternet television become a two-headed monster?”, by Gary Chapman,published on the Technology section of the Tribune Media Services,Copyright© 2001 Nando Media, Copyright© 2001 Los Angeles TimesSyndicate, dated on Mar. 29, 2001, on:nandotimes.com/technology/story/0,1643,500468156-500716006-503964418-0,00.htmlillustrates this endless debate, turmoil and lack of consensus about thefuture directions of WebTV and, the confusion that today exists abouthow in the future interactive services and media may converge.

Providing on-Line Services on Television or Radio

Unlike the multi-point to multi-point Web network, radio or televisionare primarily single-point to multi-point networks. Every user receivesthe same content from a single broadcasting station. The main problem isto provide “two-way” web-like capabilities in a conventional(non-interactive) broadcast system. Until today, most television andradio receivers were linked to interactive information providers in avery limited way, briefly described hereinafter.

Nowadays, many television and radio broadcasters display an Internetaddress to make inquiries concerning the program that is retransmitted.Accessing the Internet requires a computer. The user must manually enterthe Internet address in the computer. Some other systems allow theexchange of digital information with the viewer by combining thisinformation with the television signal. However, such systems limit theaccess to a single information source and this source is entirely underthe control of the broadcast or cable television operator.

In fact, until recently, there was no way for producers of television orradio programs to create hyperlinks to access complementary informationrelated to a broadcast program. The systems proposed in this regardrequire the transmission of the complementary information in a secondarysignal, concurrently with the retransmission of the main program. Theradio auditors or television viewers must be equipped with specialdecoder circuits for recovering this information. Other proposals arebased on transmitting identification of television programs or URLs ofhyperlinked information associated to television programs during thevertical blanking interval (VBI) period. Special decoders are alsoneeded to use such methods.

Television closed captions are captions that are hidden in thetelevision video signal, invisible without a special decoder. The placewhere they are hidden is called line 21 of the vertical blankinginterval (VBI). A law in the United States called the Television DecoderCircuitry Act of 1990 requires since July 1993, that all televisionsmanufactured for sale in the U.S. contain a built-in caption decoder ifthe television picture tube is 13″ or larger. TELETEXT or Supertextcaptions for the hearing impaired are commonly transmitted by thismeans. A tutorial of Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) systems isavailable on:

msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/nwsd/awps/vbinfo_e.cfm. A specification on how to sendURLs over Line21 VBI has been published by the Computer and ElectronicsMarketing Association (CEMA), USA.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,172 entitled “Apparatus and method for initiating atransaction having acoustic data receiver that filters human voice”,U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,106 entitled “Method for controlling a computer withan audio signal” or U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,507 entitled “Receiver apparatusand methods for identifying broadcast audio program selections in aradio broadcast system”, disclose systems and methods for embeddinginformation into audio signals.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,441 entitled “System for dual-display interactionwith integrated television and Internet content”, U.S. Pat. No.6,075,568 entitled “Apparatus of storing URL information transmitted viavertical blanking interval of television signal”, U.S. Pat. No.6,058,430 entitled “Vertical blanking interval encoding of Internetaddresses for integrated television/internet devices”, U.S. Pat. No.6,018,768 entitled “Enhanced video programming system and method forincorporating and displaying retrieved integrated Internet informationsegments”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,441 entitled “System and method forsimulating two-way connectivity for one way data streams”, and U.S. Pat.No. 5,761,606 entitled “Media online services access via addressembedded in video or audio program” disclose various systems and methodsbased on the transmission of the information in the vertical blankinginterval (VBI) for analog signals, or in dedicated slots for digitalsignals, according to protocols such as MPEG.

Different systems and methods for embedding hyperlinks or for encodinginformation into the same images or on selected portions of images havebeen disclosed for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,104 entitled “Videodata integration system using image data and associated hypertextlinks”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,719 entitled “Synchronized presentation oftelevision programming and web content”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,764entitled “Mapping uniform resource locators to broadcast addresses in atelevision signal”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,509 entitled “System and methodfor displaying active uniform network resource locators during playbackof a media file or media broadcast”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,685 entitled“Scheme for the distribution of multimedia follow up information”, U.S.Pat. No. 5,841,978 entitled “Network linking method usingsteganographically embedded data objects”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,223entitled “System method and device for automatic capture of Internetaccess information in a broadcast signal for use by an Internet accessdevice”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,935 entitled “Internet enhanced videosystem”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,181 entitled “Enhanced video programmingsystem and method for incorporating and displaying retrieved integratedInternet information segments”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,860 entitled “Methodand system communication establishment utilizing captured and processedvisually perceptible data within a broadcast video signal”, U.S. Pat.No. 5,189,630 entitled “Method for encoding and broadcasting informationabout live events using computer pattern matching techniques”, and U.S.Pat. No. 4,977,455 entitled “System and process for VCR scheduling”. Inall these patents, the extraction of encoded information requiresspecialized, dedicated decoders or TV set-up boxes.

Different interaction systems and methods by means of two-waycommunication protocols for web televisions (WebTVs), interactivetelevision and channel-hyperlinking, using dedicated specializedhardware (e.g., using a television set-top box) and specialized softwareare disclosed for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,171 entitled “Two-waycommunication protocol for a web television”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,445entitled “Hypertext markup language protocol for television display andcontrol”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,603 entitled “Access system and method forproviding interactive access to an information source through anetworked distribution system”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,850 entitled“Interactive television system and method having on-demand web-likenavigational capabilities for displaying requested hyperlinked web-likestill images associated with television content”, and U.S. Pat. No.5,929,849 entitled “Integration of dynamic universal resource locatorswith television presentation”.

A rather different method for enabling an auditor or a viewer to accessadditional information related to both radio and television programs,based on the general principle of using the reception time of abroadcast program to obtain supplemental information is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795 entitled “Apparatus and methods for accessinginformation relating to radio and television programs” (Mankowitz). Inorder to clearly distinguish U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795 from the presentinvention, as well as for providing a point of departure for analyzingthe other types of systems of the prior art, essential features of U.S.Pat. No. 5,703,795 will be discussed in detail.

Basically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795 discloses and apparatus and methodfor ordering supplemental information about programs playing at abroadcast receiver. One embodiment is a method for providing informationto a user from an information depository. The method includes the stepsof reproducing in the vicinity of each of a plurality of users, programsfrom one of a plurality of broadcasting stations, recording upon commandby a user, an identification of a station and a time of a program on thestation for which supplemental information is desired by the user,entering the recorded station identification and time into one of aplurality of information exchange terminals, coupling the informationexchange terminal to the information depository to transmit informationtherebetween; and identifying a correspondence between the enteredstation identification and time and a program in a station log to obtainthe desired supplemental information. The method additionally includesthe steps of compiling a station log of stations, program times, andprogram identifiers for programs on the stations and mapping the programidentifiers in the log to supplemental information relating to specificprograms.

While U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795 is directed to a system for ordering theuser supplemental information from live broadcasts programs, the presentinvention relates to a system for ordering the user supplementalinformation from recorded broadcast programs, when the user playbackssaid programs.

While U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795 preferably uses “local times” oftransmitters and receivers, the system and method object of the presentinvention, is based on the use of a common Universal-Time reference fortransmitters and recorders, such as for example the Universal TimeCo-ordinated (UTC) time or the Global Positioning System (GPS) time. Theprinciple of the invention is the following: transmitters and recorders(i.e., audio or video cassette recorders), must be synchronized by meansof a unique Universal-Time reference and timing system independent ofthe respective location of each transmitter and each recorder.Otherwise, if a recorder is located far from the transmitter (e.g., on adifferent time-zone), a system using “local times” will fail without theprior re-synchronization of the recorder to the transmitter. To performthis re-synchronization, the recorder must know in advance the time-zoneof the transmitter. The problem is that the time-zone of the transmitteris unknown in some cases. A border case for illustrating this difficultyis the example of a mobile user recording broadcast programs fromdifferent remote broadcasting stations when flying across differenttime-zones.

As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795, transmitters (i.e.,broadcasting stations) are responsible of synchronizing receivers, forexample, by means of audible DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi Frequency) tonesbroadcast by a local station at each hour of the day. So users cansynchronize their receiver using its internal radio circuit or usinganother radio for detecting the audible tone and resetting the systemclock. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795 proposes for synchronizingreceivers, to download a synchronizing DTMF tone to the receiver via atelephone link. The proposed synchronization mechanism limits thecapability of the receiver to be synchronized “at any moment” with thetransmitter, independently of sporadic receptions (“a few times eachday”, or “hourly”) of timing signals sent by the transmitters, or by anindependent timing authority responsible of synchronizing both,transmitters and receivers. The alternative of making a telephone callfor transmitting a synchronization signal involves additional complexityand limits the efficiency and usefulness of the system. Also, undercertain realistic circumstances, the reception and decoding ofaudible-timing tones may be unreliable and prone to errors. Unlike U.S.Pat. No. 5,703,795, the system and method according to the presentapplication is based on an Universal-Time timing system, preferably theGlobal Positioning System (GPS) time, for synchronizing transmitters andrecorders. The present invention makes possible that both transmittersand recorders are “always” synchronized according to a same referencetime, without the need of a human intervention.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795, there is no precise definition of the notionof “distance” for selecting a program based on the time recorded by theuser. Basically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795 describes a system on which asingle selection of a program can be made (i.e., a unique “hyperlink”can be activated during a program), based on the user's selection time.On this referenced system programs are sequential and can be activatedon non overlapping time intervals, thus the user is forced to actpromptly for correctly selecting an interesting item during the program,before the next program could start. If the program that is beingreceived has a very short duration (e.g., 30 seconds), and the userhesitates or delays by any reason the decision to make a selection, awrong selection may be made. Thus, with this method, a problem occurs ifthe next program starts before the user selects the previous program.

Unlike U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795, in the present invention each programcomprises one or a plurality of hyperlinks. Each hyperlink in theprogram is associated with an hyperlink “start time” and an hyperlink“end time”, (i.e., an hyperlink becomes “alive” during a finiteuniversal-time interval) and may be recovered and activated only whenthe user makes a selection during this time interval. This mechanismtakes into account the “temporal fuzziness” effects due to delays onselections and variations on program transmission and recording times.Overlaps of time intervals during which the hyperlinks of the“successive programs” are “alive” are defined and implemented. Even whena user makes a “late” selection, it will still be possible to recoverthe information associated with the desired interesting topic found onthe recorded program.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795, only one information at a time, associatedwith a single selected program can be retrieved from a singletransmitter, content producer or operator. Unlike U.S. Pat. No.5,703,795, the present invention defines and implements overlaps on timeof multiple hyperlinks for the same program. The user can retrievemultiple different data, from different information providers, with asingle selection. For example, if a user watches a recorded movie and,at the time of the selection, the user was watching on the TV set ascene played by two actors, by selecting this scene, the user may be“linked” to two different biographies, each one provided by a differentWeb server (i.e., having different URLs).

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795 basically discloses a proprietarysystem where information associated with the programs on a broadcastchannel is provided by a single source. The information is stored andsupplied by a single information provider, such as the broadcasttelevision operator. Unlike U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,795, the presentinvention discloses an open system for accessing on the Web additionalinformation related to recorded radio or television programs.

As shown in the foregoing discussion, while during the last years,systems have been developed to increase the level of user interaction,and thus, to provide more information and learning and entertainmentopportunities, today vast sources of information such as we can find onthe Web, still remain inaccessible for traditional broadcast media(i.e., using conventional, one-way, TV and radio broadcast systems,passive TVs and radio receivers and conventional audio and VCR recordingand playback equipment).

Therefore, today there is a need to provide new convenient, universal,and easy mechanisms to enable people listening to or watching a programrecorded from the radio or the television, to effectively select andaccess complementary information related to said program and for whichthey have some interest.

In particular, today there is a need for producers to create hyperlinks,from segments or sequences of information of recorded programs, torelevant data on the Web in such a form that, without physicallytransmitting these hyperlinks embedded on conventional one-way broadcastsignals and thus, without modifying conventional transmitters, receiversor recorders, these hyperlinks can be selected by a radio auditor or atelevision viewer during the playback of a program, and then beactivated for accessing related information or service throughout theWeb.

Moreover, there is a need for a system able to operate independently ofthe relative positions of recorders and transmitters, without having tosynchronize recorders with transmitters.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is a broad object of the invention to integrate conventionalnon-interactive recording and playback systems, such as conventionalaudio and video tape or disk recorders, and interactive computingsystems such as Internet and the Web.

It is another object of the invention to enhance the informationprovided by broadcast program producers with an access to complementaryinformation on the Web.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism forcombining the user-friendly experience of audio or video tape or diskrecorders with the huge amount of information and services available onthe Web.

It is another object of the invention to enable an auditor or a viewerto select in a recorded program, topics that draw his attention and thento easily access information related to those topics in a Webenvironment.

It is a further object of the invention to enable an auditor or viewerto more conveniently access additional information related to theinformation recorded from a conventional broadcast program, withouttransmitting additional information or modifying conventional broadcastsignals and thus, without modifying the conventional media recorder andplayback equipment.

It is a particular object of the invention to use indifferently the samemethod for audio programs or video programs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a system, method and computerprogram—as defined in independent claims—for enabling a user (an auditoror a viewer) to access complementary information related to one or aplurality of sequences or topics of interest in a recorded programpreviously broadcast on the radio or television and played back on adevice, such as an audio or video tape or disk recorder/player. Thepreferred embodiment of the invention relates to a system and method forenabling a person listening to or watching a recorded program, to selectone or a plurality of topics drawing his or her attention and forimmediately or later on, receiving further information related to thesetopics from the World Wide Web. The system is based on thesynchronization of local times of transmitters and recorders. The flowof information transmitted, received and recorded is alwayssynchronized, independently of the relative positions of recorders andtransmitters. The synchronization is done referring to an absolute oruniversal time such as the Global Positioning System Time (GPS-time),the Global Orbiting Navigational Satellite System (GLONASS) time oranother suitable universal time based on a satellite system. The GPS orGLONASS receivers are integrated or connected to the broadcastingstations. At the receiver side, GPS or GLONASS receivers may beintegrated or connected to the audio or video recorders. The system isalso based on a plurality of hyperlinks defined during the productionand recording of the broadcast program, for given sequencescorresponding to particular intervals of time synchronized with theuniversal (absolute) time. The hyperlinks are associated with theinformation that is broadcast in the program. They can be selected byusers during the playback of the recorded program during predefinedintervals of time and activated to access additional information andservices.

Further embodiments of the invention are provided in the appendeddependent claims.

The present invention discloses a system, method and computer programfor use in a user device connected to a network, of retrieving one or aplurality of hyperlinks associated with a recorded program previouslybroadcast on a channel when said recorded program is played back on aplayer or recorded device. The method comprises the steps of:

-   -   Identifying the channel that has previously broadcast the        recorded program;    -   Recovering a destination address within the network associated        with the identified channel for accessing information related to        the one or plurality of hyperlinks defined for the recorded        program;    -   Recovering the universal time interval corresponding to the        broadcasting of the program on the identified channel;    -   Recovering the universal time corresponding to the start of the        broadcasting of the program on the identified channel;    -   Accessing by means of the destination address associated with        the identified channel, the information related to the one or        plurality of hyperlinks defined for the universal time interval        corresponding to the broadcasting of the program on the channel,        said information comprising for each hyperlink:        -   An universal time interval;        -   A destination address within the network for accessing            multimedia information;    -   Computing for each hyperlink, a relative time interval, by        subtracting from the universal time interval of each hyperlink,        the universal time corresponding to the start of the        broadcasting of program on the identified channel;    -   Starting a program timer at the start of the program played back        on the player or recorder device;    -   Each time a selection command is received, determining by means        of said program timer, the selection time corresponding to the        reception of said selection command from the start of the        playback;    -   Identifying and retrieving from the program table, the        destination address associated with each hyperlink defined for        the one or plurality of relative time intervals comprising said        selection time.

The foregoing, together with other objects, features, and advantages ofthis invention can be better appreciated with reference to the followingspecification, claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel and inventive features believed characteristics of theinvention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself,however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects andadvantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description of an illustrative detailed embodimentwhen read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates how users perceive topics of interest when listeningor watching radio or television programs played back on audio or videotape or disk players or recorders.

FIG. 2 illustrates the principle of the invention based on thesynchronization of local times of transmitters and recorders accordingto a same universal time, such as for example, the Global PositioningSystem (GPS) time.

FIG. 3 shows the main components of the invention

FIG. 4 illustrates how broadcast programs are synchronized according tothe present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates how hyperlinks become alive during the broadcast of aprogram, and how several hyperlinks can become alive at the sameuniversal time according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows the hyperlinks defined in a recorded program according tothe present invention.

FIG. 7 shows how the hyperlinks associated with a recorded program andthe corresponding time intervals are stored in a Program Timing Fileaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a Program Timing File of a recorded programaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates the steps of the preferred method for creatingProgram Timing Files on Channel Information Servers.

FIG. 10 illustrates the steps of the method of generating an HyperlinkTable on a Channel Information server using the Program Timing File whena program is broadcast according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows how relative time intervals of hyperlinks of a recordedprogram are transformed in absolute time intervals (also calleduniversal time intervals) in an Hyperlink Table when the recordedprogram is broadcast according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 shows an example of Hyperlink Table in the Channel InformationServer of a broadcast program according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 shows the steps of the method for recording a broadcast programon an audio or video tape or disk recorder.

FIG. 14 shows the steps of the method for retrieving from a ChannelInformation Server hyperlinks information and for generating aProgram-Table of a recorded program on a user's device according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 15 shows how the user creates a Program-Table for a recordedprogram by specifying the name of the program and the universal timeinterval corresponding to the broadcasting and recording of the programaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 16 shows how a user's device sends to the Channel InformationServer the universal time interval corresponding to the broadcasting andrecording of the program according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 shows how a user's device retrieves from the Channel InformationServer and stores on the Program-Table the names, universal timeintervals and URLs of hyperlinks that were defined for the universaltime interval corresponding to the broadcasting and recording of theprogram.

FIG. 18 shows how the universal times associated with hyperlinks aretransformed to relative times (in seconds) by subtracting from theuniversal time intervals, the universal time corresponding to the startof the recording.

FIG. 19 shows the steps of the method for playing a recorded program andfor accessing additional information from said recorded programaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 20 shows how a user loads a video tape or disk on theplayer/recorder device and selects on his user device, the Program-Tableof this program by means of a menu according to the present invention.

FIG. 21 shows how a user starts to play back a recorded program on hisplayer/recorder device and, at the same time, resets the program time onhis user device according to the present invention.

FIG. 22 shows how a user while playing the recorded program, selects atopic of interest by entering a command on the user device and how theselection time is read on the program timer according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 23 shows how using the selection time, an hyperlink is identifiedand retrieved from the Program-Table and how this hyperlink is activatedto access a server according to the present invention.

FIG. 24 shows how the information and/or services related to theselected topic of interest is retrieved from the server and displayed onthe user device according to the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention discloses a system and amethod for enabling a person (100) to record a broadcast program, suchas a radio or television program (103), on a recording device (104) and,at a later time, to access additional information (101) (102) related tosaid recorded program (103).

As shown in FIG. 2, the invention is based on the synchronization of thetransmitters (201) and recorders (203) according to a sameuniversal-time (204) (205). The flow of information transmitted andrecorded is always synchronized, independently of the relative positionsof transmitters (201) and recorders (203) according to an universal timesuch as the Global Positioning System Time (GPS-time), the GlobalOrbiting Navigational Satellite System (GLONASS) time or anothersuitable universal time based on a satellite system. The GPS or GLONASSreceivers (204) are connected to or integrated in the broadcastingstations (201). At the recorders side, GPS or GLONASS receivers (205)may be connected to or integrated in audio/video recording devices(203). Broadcast programs (208) are recorded on recording devices (203)which are synchronized (205) with the broadcasting stations (201). Thestart (respectively the end) of the broadcasting and the start(respectively the end) of the recording are synchronized according tothe same universal time (204).

As shown in FIG. 3, the preferred embodiment of the invention gives thepossibility to an auditor or a viewer (301) of an audio or video program(302) that has been recorded on a recording device (303) from a radio ortelevision channel (305), to select on his user device (311) one or aplurality of topics drawing his attention (304), to access immediatelyor later on, additional information or services related to these topics(304) on the World Wide Web (309) (310), and to display this additionalinformation or execute these services on his user device (311).

FIG. 4 shows that the invention is based on a system in which programs(401) that are broadcast on a channel are synchronized according to anuniversal time.

FIG. 5 shows how the hyperlinks (502) are defined for a broadcastprogram (501). Hyperlinks are alive during predefined universal timeintervals (503) and a plurality of hyperlinks can be alive at the sametime (504, 505).

FIG. 6 shows how the hyperlinks are defined in a recorded program duringthe interval of time corresponding to the start and the end of therecording (T record start-T record stop) (601) (602).

During transmission of a program, the broadcasting station ortransmitter (305) updates a database on a Channel Information Server(306) (i.e., a server linked to the transmitter or broadcastingstation.) This database comprises universal time intervals (for instanceGPS-time intervals) during which hyperlinks between the broadcastprogram and URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) of Web pages are defined.

Universal Timing Systems

Timing sequences, independent of locations of transmitters andreceivers, can be derived from an absolute timing reference such as, forexample, the Global Positioning System (GPS) time or the Universal TimeCo-ordinated (UTC) time (also known today as GMT and ZULU time).

To transmit precise timing signals, the GPS uses 24 satellites in 55°inclined orbits 10,000 miles above the earth. These timing signals areused by any GPS receiver anywhere on the earth to determine itsposition. A 1575 MHz transmission carries a 1-MHz bandwidthphase-modulated signal named the clear acquisition (C/A) code. When aGPS receiver receives this signal from at least three GPS satellites, itcan determine its own latitude and longitude with an accuracy of about30 meters. Apart from the determination of geographical positions, theGPS is today widely used for distributing Precise Time and Time Interval(PTTI). The system uses time of arrival (TOA) measurements fordetermining a position. A precisely timed clock is not essential for theuser because time is obtained in addition to position by the measurementof the TOA of four satellites simultaneously in view. If the altitudeover sea level is known, three satellites are sufficient. If the user isstationary at a known position then, in principle, the time can beobtained by the observation of a single satellite. Information about theGPS time service is supplied by the “Time Service Department”, U.S.Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C. at: tycho.usno.navy.mil/.

GPS is today the world's principal supplier of accurate time. It is usedextensively both as a source of time and as a means of transferring timefrom one location to another. Three kinds of time are available fromGPS: GPS time, UTC as estimated and produced by the United States NavalObservatory, and the times from each free-running GPS satellite's atomicclock. The Master Control Station (MCS) at Falcon Air Force Base nearColorado Springs, Colo., gathers the GPS satellites' data from fivemonitor stations around the world. A Kalman filter software programestimates the time error, frequency error, frequency drift and Keplerianorbit parameters for each of the satellites and its operating clock.This information is uploaded to each satellite so that it can bebroadcasted in real time. This process provides GPS time consistencyacross the constellation to within a small number of nanoseconds andaccurate position determination of the satellites to within a fewmeters.

The second universal time standard, Universal Time Co-ordinated (UTC),introduces leap seconds to remain synchronized with the rotation of theearth. In order to provide an estimate of UTC time derivable from a GPSsignal, a set of UTC corrections is also provided as part of the GPSbroadcast signal. This broadcast message includes the time difference inwhole seconds between GPS time and UTC. This complicates software thatdeals with the smooth flow of data streams or calculates the timesbetween data samples. GPS Time is preferred in this invention as thissystem avoids the introduction of leap seconds and is easily related toUTC. Information about UTC (GMT) time service can be found on:time.greenwich2000.com/.

GPS Receivers

A Direct-to-Digital GPS Receiver is described in the following Web site:

w3.research.ibm.com/present/gto200038.htm. This is an example of a tinylow cost chip which can integrate GPS into anything (e.g., a PDA, amobile phone, a wearable computer, a video camera, an audio or videocassette recorder). This receiver has been jointly developed between IBMand Leica. The high speed analog capabilities of SiGe technology, whenintegrated with the CMOS technology, allows the integration of thissingle chip directly to a digital GPS (Global Positioning System)receiver. GPS derived position information is finding a multitude ofdiverse applications: from mapping and surveying to vehicle tracking to911 cell phone caller location to automated farm equipment to evenrobotic golf carts . . . . This receiver chip reduces the radiodimensions and complexity. There are no analog mixer stages, nor costlydiscrete components (such as high quality filters) that conventional twostage analog down conversion would have required. Instead, the incomingGPS signal is literally digitized right at the antenna, then filtereddigitally in a CMOS based chip. This direct digitization is madepossible by the ability of the SiGe technology to run at high speed onvery little power, and the core of this technology is a SiGe basedAnalog to Digital Data Converter.

According to the present invention GPS or GLONASS receivers (204) (205)must be integrated in or connected to the transmitters on thebroadcasting stations (201) and to audio or video recording devices(203) used to record and playback radio or television programs. Theuniversal timing signals that are received from GPS or GLONASSsatellites are used to initialize and synchronize the internalelectronic clocking systems on the recording devices (203) according tothe same universal time. If the recording devices are permanentlyinstalled inside buildings, to receive timing signals from GPS orGLONASS satellites, they must be connected to an external antenna (e.g.,antenna installed on the roof of the building). If the recording devicesare portable or in-vehicle mounted, satellite signals will be normallyreceived when the user is out of doors or is traveling. During theperiods on which GPS or GLONASS satellites are out of sight (e.g., whenrecording devices are inside buildings or not connected to an externalantenna), and no timing signals are thus received from those satellites,timing information must be continuously derived from autonomouselectronic clocking systems of the recording devices. Depending on thedrift of the clocking systems set up in the recording devices, and tokeep enough timing precision and to be sure that recording devices aresynchronized with broadcasting stations at the same universal time, amore or less frequent periodic reception of satellite signals must beperformed.

Time Stamping Multimedia Data into Programs

FIG. 7 illustrates how time stamps (701) are commonly used at thepost-production of a program (700) to encode multimedia timinginformation embedded with audio and video streams. Time stamps onprogram data streams enable time information to be associated withevents on audio, video or other time dependent data to broadcast. Timestamps are used within current video tape or disk formats and DATformats (files* .DAT are plain text-ASCII-files that represent digitalsignals).

Commonly stamps embedded in a multimedia data stream are used to meterthe playback rate to be sure that the stream runs at the desired rate.Also, during production or edition of programs, if several streams areindependently recorded (e.g., video and audio), and need to be edited,to be integrated on a unique stream, then certain operations such ascuts or insertions may be required at certain recorded times on eachstream. The use of time stamps (also named “mark keys”) embedded inmultimedia streams provides markers for controlling such operations.

In fact, time coding is a fundamental aspect of the todaypost-production world. In simple terms, a time code is a number assignedto each video frame, so that each frame can be uniquely identified. Insome systems, the data is coded in binary-coded decimal digits in theform HH:MM:SS: FF (hours: minutes: seconds: frames). In videopost-production, an edit is denoted by an “in” point (the time code ofthe first frame to be recorded) and an “out” point (the time code of thefirst frame beyond the recording).

A system for time coding multimedia streams is provided by Aaton, acompany with headquarters in Grenoble, France, and an innovator ofmotion-picture camera equipment. When using a camera equipped with Aatontime-code electronics and an audio time-code recorder and relatedhardware, a true time and date is recorded. A unique stamp or code(AatonCode) is attached permanently to the image and sound originals.The non-repeatability of the code makes possible the association of asingle piece of audio with a particular image. In post-production, theAaton's system is used as a film-code reader, transfer database andmanagement system for the telecine. The post-production reads the codesoff the negative during film-to-tape transfer and translates the datafrom each film frame to a field of video into a frame-accuratedescription. By reading this real-time address and simultaneouslyfeeding its audio time-code equivalent to an audio-chasing machine, thesystem can perform nonstop automatic synchronizing of a DAT orquarter-inch field audio during the transfer. In post-production, theuse of AatonCode and the associated database reduces event-logging timefor the editor's assistant. Information about the Aaton's postproduction system and products can be found on the official page at:www.aaton.com/.

By means of the here above described systems or by anyone of severalother systems today in use for the post-production of multimedia data,the timing information (e.g., time stamps) of a produced program (700)can therefore be used to encode and record time intervals (701) in aProgram Timing File (702). According to the present invention, theProgram Timing File of a produced program comprises timing information(for instance, times elapsed relative to the program's start time (t=0)(704) related to different sequences of the program.

Hyperlinked Time Intervals

An hyperlinked word (or image) in an HTML document can be defined as arange of letters (or pixels) that can be activated with a pointingdevice to access a Web page. For information transmitted as a real-timesequence of items, such as those found on a broadcast program, theconcept of “hyperlinked time interval” is similar to the concept ofhyperlinked word or image. FIG. 7 shows how the present inventiondefines for a particular radio or television program, hyperlinks (705)related to specific time intervals (701). Each hyperlink (705) can beactivated during the time interval (701) for which said hyperlink hasbeen defined. To that aim the system uses the Program Timing File (702)associated with the produced program (700) for storing the differenthyperlinked time intervals (701) comprised in the radio or televisionprogram. The hyperlinked time intervals associate time intervals(t_init, t_end) (701) with multimedia information or services (705)located on servers (310) accessible through the Internet (309) orthrough another network.

Program Timing File

Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with referenceto URLs and/or hyperlinks. In describing embodiments of the presentinvention, the URLs and/or hyperlinks, the “http” portion of the URLand/or hyperlink has been replaced with “xyyz”. Thus, occurrences of theletters “xyyz” may be replaced with “http” to provide a functional URLand/or hyperlink. Further, numeric values are stated utilizing theEuropean convention of “.” separators rather than “,” separators. Thus,for example, a recitation of 4,587 seconds is recited as 4.587 seconds.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, hyperlinked time intervals(701) are encoded in the Program Timing File (702) in relative timeunits, such as seconds, elapsed from the beginning of the program (t=0)(704). Thus, for each hyperlink (705) (e.g., hyperlink 6) “t_init”indicates the number of seconds elapsed from the time at which theprogram starts to play (t=0) to the time at which the hyperlink becomesalive, and “t_end” indicates the number of seconds elapsed from the timeat which program starts to play (t=0) to the time at which the hyperlinkis no more alive. FIG. 7 also shows how time intervals (701) associatedwith the different hyperlinks (705) may overlap and hence how severalhyperlinks may be alive simultaneously.

The Program Timing File of a post-produced program encodes, for eachhyperlink:

-   -   The hyperlink time interval (t_init, t_end), in time units        relative to the start of the program,    -   The hyperlink name or short description, and    -   The hyperlink destination address (i.e., the URL) where the        hyperlinked information or service can be found.

FIG. 8 is an example (also shown in the next table) of the ProgramTiming File (801) for a television program entitled “Early BritishKingdoms” (808). This program has duration of 4.587 seconds (802). Thisfile teaches that, for example, the hyperlink named “Ceredigion” (803)can be activated 1.535 seconds (804) after the program starts and can beactivated until second 2.092 (805). If a user plays this recordedprogram and selects the topic shown during this (relative) timeinterval, the hyperlink to the URL address (806):

-   -   xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/ceredigion.html will be        selected. This example also shows that if, for instance, a user        selects a topic 1.790 seconds after the program starts playback,        then hyperlinks: “Ceredigion” at URL:    -   xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/ceredigion.html and        “Mabinogion” at URL:    -   xyyz://www.cyberphile.co.uk/˜taff/taffnet/mabinogion/mabinogion.htm        will both be selected.

PROG. PROGRAM TIME NAME: 4.587 segs. “Early British PROGRAM URL: From ToKingdoms” xyyz:/freespace.virgin.net/ (secs): (secs): Link Name: URL:   0   596 Buellt & xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/ Qwerthryniondavid.ford2/buellt.html   536   721 Caer-Baddanxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/ (Bath) david.ford2/south.html#Gloui   566 1715 Caer-Celemion xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/ (Silchester)david.ford2/vortigern.html 1 535 2 092 Ceredigionxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/ david.ford2/Ceredigion.html 1 535 2 452Mabinogion xyyz://www.cyberphile.co.uk/- taff/taffnet/mabinogion/mabinogion.htm 2 392 3 597 Avalon xyyz:freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/Avalon.html  3537  4037 Afallachxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/ david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach 3 720 3 973Beli Mawr xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/ david.ford2/gods.html#Beli 3 7203 973 St. Joseph of xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/ Arimatheadavid.ford2/joseph.html 3 840 4 259 The Kings ofxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/ Dumnonia david.ford2/dumnonia.html  4199 4587 Eudaf Hen & xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/ Conan Merdavid.ford2/eudanc.htmlMethod for Creating Program Timing Files on Servers

FIG. 9 shows a method for creating a Program Timing File (702) for apost-produced program and for defining in this Program Timing File,hyperlinks (705) between this program (700) (like the TV movie entitled“Early British Kingdoms”), and one or a plurality of servers (310)(i.e., Web servers) connected to a network (309) (i.e., to the InternetNetwork). Said hyperlinks, when selected by auditors or viewers, giveaccess on these servers (310), to multimedia information or services(i.e., Web pages) related to topics (304) perceived as interesting bythese auditors or viewers listening or watching the program recordedfrom the radio or television. The method of creating the Program TimingFile for a program comprises the steps of:

During the production or edition of the program (700):

-   -   (901) selecting one or a plurality of relevant topics or        subjects (807) for which hyperlinks (806) must be created;    -   (902) creating a Program Timing File (801) for the program;    -   Defining hyperlinks in the Program Timing File between the        selected topics (807) and multimedia information or services        located on one or a plurality of servers connected to a network,        said step comprising the further steps of:

For each one of the selected topics or subjects (803):

-   -   (903) assigning a name or a description (803) (preferably a        brief description);    -   (904) assigning a destination address (806) (for instance the        URL) within the network (309) to access the desired multimedia        information or service;    -   (905) assigning a time interval (t_init, t_end) (804) (805),        preferably in time units (e.g. seconds) elapsed from the program        start time (t=0), during which it will be possible to retrieve        the hyperlink;    -   (906) storing in the Program Timing File (801) (702) the        assigned name (or description) (803), the destination address        (806) and the hyperlink time interval (804) (805).

Once hyperlinks have been defined in the Program Timing File:

-   -   (907) storing the Program Timing File (801) in the Channel        Information Server (306) of the broadcasting station (305).        Method for Generating on Servers Hyperlink Tables from Program        Timing Files

When a program (208) is retransmitted on a channel (209) by abroadcasting station (201), the relative time-intervals (804) (805) ofhyperlinks (806) comprised in the Program Timing File (801) on theChannel Information Server (206) are transformed in absolute timeintervals (or universal-time intervals) using an universal-time providedby a GPS receiver (204) or by any other suitable universal-time deviceintegrated or connected to the broadcasting station (201). The resultingtable, called Hyperlink Table, is then stored in a database on theChannel Information Server (206) so that it can be accessed later by theauditors and viewers receiving and recording the broadcast program(208). The preferred method of creating an Hyperlink Table in theChannel Information Server (206) basically comprises the step oftransforming the relative time intervals of the hyperlinks comprised inthe Program Timing File into absolute time intervals when the program isbroadcast. More particularly the method, shown in FIG. 10, comprises thesteps of:

-   -   (1001) retrieving the Program Timing File (801) of the program        to be broadcast;    -   (1002) determining by means of an universal-time device (204)        (e.g., a GPS receiver) integrated in or connected to the        broadcasting station (201), the universal time (date and time)        corresponding to the start of the program broadcasting.    -   (1003) computing-absolute time intervals (universal-time        intervals) by adding to the (relative) time-intervals (804)        (805) of hyperlinks comprised in the Program Timing File (801),        the universal time corresponding to the start of the program        broadcasting;    -   (1004) storing the resulting Hyperlink Table in a database in        the Channel Information Server (206). In a preferred embodiment,        the Channel Information Server comprises the Program Timing        Files and the Hyperlink Tables of all hyperlinked programs        broadcast on the channel (209);    -   (1005) broadcasting the program (208) on the channel (209).

FIG. 11 illustrates how, by means of the present method when thetransmission starts, the relative time intervals associated with thehyperlinks in the Program Timing File are transformed to universal-timeintervals (absolute time intervals) in the Hyperlink Table.

The next table, also shown in FIG. 12, shows the Hyperlink Table that isgenerated on the Channel Information Server (206) from the ProgramTiming File shown in FIG. 8 (and on the herein above table), when thebroadcasting station (201) starts the transmission of the movie entitled“Early British Kingdoms” at universal-time (1203): Dec. 5, 200014:10:51.

PROGRAM NAME: “Early British PROGRAM URL: Kingdoms”xyyz:/freespace.virgin.net/ From: To: Link Name: URL: 12/05/200012/05/2000 Buellt & xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/buellt.html14:10:51 14:20:05 Qwerthrynion 12/05/2000 12/05/2000 Caer-Baddanxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/south.html#Gloui 14:19:0514:22:52 (Bath) 12/05/2000 12/05/2000 Caer-Celemionxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/vortigern.html 14:20:17 14:39:26(Silchester) 12/05/2000 12/05/2000 Ceredigionxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/Ceredigion.html 14:36:2614:45:43 12/05/2000 12/05/2000 Mabinogionxyyz://www.cyberphile.co.uk/-taff/taffnet/mabinogion/mabinogion.htm14:36:26 14:51:43 12/05/2000 12/05/2000 Avalonxyyz:freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/Avalon.html 14:50:43 15:10:4812/05/2000 12/05/2000 Afallachxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach 15:09:4815:18:08 12/05/2000 12/05/2000 Beli Mawrxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Beli 15:12:51 15:16:2212/05/2000 12/05/2000 St. Joseph ofxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/joseph.html 15:12:51 15:16:22Arimathea 12/05/2000 12/05/2000 The Kings ofxyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/dumnonia.html 15:14:51 15:20:08Dumnonia 12/05/2000 12/05/2000 Eudaf Hen &xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/eudanc.html 15:19:08 15:25:36Conan MerMethod for Recording a Broadcast Program

FIG. 2 shows the system according with the present invention forrecording a program (208) broadcast on a channel (209). As shown in FIG.13, the method for use in a recording device (203) comprising orconnected to a universal-timing device (205), comprises the steps of:

-   -   (1301) selecting a channel (209) and a universal-time interval        (207) (i.e., selecting the universal-time corresponding to the        start of the recording and the universal-time corresponding to        the end of the recording or, alternatively, selecting the        universal-time corresponding to the start of the recording and        the duration of the recording.    -   (1302) setting on the recording device (e.g., a VCR) (203) said        selected channel (209) and said selected universal-time interval        (207);    -   (1303) recording on said recording device (203) the program        (208) broadcast by the selected broadcast channel (209) during        the selected universal-time interval (207).        Channel Table

As a preliminary step for enabling the user (301) to select topics ofinterest (304) from programs recorded from different channels (306), aChannel Table, like the one illustrated hereinafter, must be createdbeforehand on the user device and must be filled with the informationpertaining to all channels that the user knows to be useable toimplement the system and method of the invention. Basically, a ChannelTable stores the information needed for accessing from a user device(311) a plurality of Channel Information Servers (306) throughout acommunication network (309). This Channel Table comprises:

-   -   A list of channel numbers and, for each channel number:    -   The broadcasting station name, and    -   The network address (for instance the URL) of the Channel        Information Server (306) associated with said channel.

The information on the Channel Table has been previously recorded by theuser and can be provided by anyone of the many today availableinformation sources (e.g., by the same TV or radio operators, fromnewspapers, the Web, . . . ).

BROADCAST CHANNEL CHANNEL: STATION: INFORMATION SERVER URL: 03 RNFxyyz:/www.radio_nf_info.com 25 TV2 xyyz:/www.tve2_link.com 17 TV5xyyz:/www.tve5_1ink.com 33 CNN-NEWS xyyz:/www.cnn_news_link.com 72 NBCxyyz:/www.nbc_link.comMethod for Generating a Program-Table on a User Device

FIG. 14 illustrates the method according to the present invention forretrieving from a Channel Information Server (306) associated with achannel, the hyperlinks associated with a program recorded from saidchannel, and for storing these hyperlinks in a Program-Table (313). Themethod, for use in a user device (311) connected to a network (309),comprises the steps of:

-   -   (1401) selecting from the Channel Table, the channel that has        broadcast the recorded program;    -   (1402) assigning a name to the recorded program;    -   (1403) creating a new Program-Table for the recorded program and        storing in said Program-Table the assigned program name and the        universal time interval (start time and end time, or start time        and duration . . . ) corresponding to the broadcasting and        recording of the program;    -   (1404) accessing the Channel Information Server of the selected        channel and sending the universal time interval corresponding to        the broadcasting and recording of the program;    -   (1405) identifying on the Channel Information Server, the one or        plurality of hyperlinks defined for an universal time interval        corresponding to the broadcasting and recording of the program;    -   (1406) retrieving from the Channel Information Server and        storing in the Program-Table the information associated with        said hyperlinks (i.e., for each hyperlink, the universal-time        interval, the name or description and the URL);    -   (1407) computing for all hyperlinks in the Program-Table,        relative time intervals (i.e., time intervals computed from the        start of the recorded program), by subtracting from the        universal (absolute) time intervals of hyperlinks, the universal        (absolute) time corresponding to the start of the program on the        broadcast channel.

FIGS. 15, 16, 17 and 18 illustrate the different steps of the presentmethod.

FIG. 15 shows how the user, after having recorded a broadcast programcreates on his user device (1501), a new Program-Table (1502) for theselected broadcast channel (1503) (e.g., “Channel 25”). In particular,the user enters the assigned program name (1506) (e.g., “Early BritishKingdoms”), and the universal time interval corresponding to thebroadcasting and recording of the program (1507) (FROM DATE/TIME Dec. 5,2000 14:10:00 TO DATE/TIME Dec. 2, 2000 15:20:00). The information thatmust be stored in the header of the new Program-Table is retrieved fromthe Channel-Table. This information comprises:

-   -   The channel number (1503) (e.g., “Channel 25”),    -   The broadcasting station name (1504) (e.g., TV-2), and    -   The network address (e.g., xyyz:/www.tve2_link.com) of the        Channel Information Server (1505) associated with said channel.

FIG. 16 shows how the user device (1601), using the network address(1604) (e.g., xyyz:www:/tve2_link.com) of the Channel Information Server(1605) as destination address, sends the universal time interval (1603)of the recorded program (e.g., FROM: Dec. 5, 2000 14:10:00, TO: Dec. 5,2000 15:20:00).

FIG. 17 shows how, the Channel Information Server (1702) retrieves fromthe Hyperlink Table, sends back to the user device (1701) and stores onthe Program-Table (1703), the information related to the hyperlinks thatwere defined (“alive”) at the selected universal time interval of therecording. This figure also shows how the Program-Table (1703) isupdated on the user device (1701) with the hyperlinks information (1704)(i.e., for each hyperlink, the hyperlink universal-time interval, name,and URL) retrieved from the Channel Information Server (1702).

FIG. 18 shows how universal-time intervals of hyperlinks recorded in theProgram-Table on the user device (1801) are transformed in relative timeintervals (in seconds from the start of the program) by subtracting theuniversal time corresponding to the start of the recording (1802). Theresulting Program-Table (1803) including the relative time intervalsassociated with hyperlinks is shown on the screen of the user device(1801).

Method for Playing a Recorded Program and for Accessing InformationRelated to Said Recorded Program

By means of the method previously described, the user (301) retrievesfrom the Channel Information Server (306) of the selected channel, theinformation required to fill in and complete the Program-Table (313) ofthe recorded program (302) previously broadcast on this channel (forexample the television program entitled “Early British Kingdoms”). Oncethe information has been retrieved from the Channel Information Server(306), the recorded program can be played (normally on the samerecording device (303)). The user can then access additional informationfrom his user device (311), while listening or watching the recordedprogram. To select topics of interest, the auditor or viewer, asillustrated in FIG. 19:

-   -   (1901) chooses a recorded program on his radio or video tape or        disk player/recorder device and selects the corresponding        Program-Table on his user device;    -   (1902) plays the recorded program on the player/recording device        and, at the same time, resets a program-timer on the user        device;    -   (1903) listens to or watches the program on the player/recorder;    -   (1904) perceives (listens to or watches) in the program a topic        of interest for which he would like to have additional        information and/or an associated service;    -   (1905) selects the interesting topic by entering a selection        command on the user device;    -   (1906) determines by means of the program-timer the selection        time;    -   (1907) selects in the Program-Table an hyperlink corresponding        to the selection time;    -   (1908) activates the hyperlink using a browser program on the        user device;    -   (1909) accesses on a server connected on the network, the        hyperlinked information and/or service using the destination        address associated with the selected hyperlink;    -   (1910) retrieves from the accessed server on the network the        information and/or service; and    -   (1911) displays the retrieved information and/or service using        the browser program on the user device.

FIGS. 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 illustrate the different steps of thepresent method.

FIG. 20 illustrates how the user loads a recorded program (2003) (forexample the television program entitled “Early British Kingdoms”) on theplayer/recorder device (2002) and selects from a menu displayed on thescreen of his user device (2001) the Program-Table corresponding to thisprogram (2004).

FIG. 21 shows how the user starts the recorder program (2103) on theplayer/recorder device (2102) and, at the same time, resets (i.e.,initializes) the program timer (2105) on the user device (2101). Theprogram timer (2105) counts the time elapsed tp (i.e., seconds) from thestart of the program.

FIG. 22 shows how the user (2200), while watching the recorded program(2203) (e.g., the television program entitled “Early British Kingdoms”)on the recording device (2202), has his attention drawn by topic ofinterest (2206), and how he immediately selects this topic by entering aselection command (2204) (e.g., by pressing a reserved key) on the userdevice (2201). This figure also shows how the selection time tp (2205)(i.e., the seconds elapsed from the beginning of the program to themoment at which the user has made this selection), is read on theprogram timer (2207).

FIG. 23 shows how from the selection time tp (for instance, tp=3920secs) read on the program time (2303), an hyperlink (2302) (e.g.,“Afallach”) can be identified and retrieved from the Program-Table(2304) located on the user device (2301) and how this hyperlink (e.g,URL:

-   -   xyyz://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach) is        activated to access information and/or service on a server        (2306) (e.g., freespace.virgin.net) on the network (2305)        (preferably the Internet network).

Finally, FIG. 24 shows how, the information and/or service (2402)related to the selected topic (e.g., “Afallach”) is retrieved by theuser device (2401) from the server (2404) (e.g., freespace.virgin.net)connected to the network (2405) (preferably the Internet network) anddisplayed (or played) on the screen of the user device by means of abrowser program (2403).

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that variouschanges in form and detail may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit, and scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of retrieving a hyperlinkassociated with a recorded program, the method performed by a device,the device coupled to at least one server on a network, the methodcomprising: identifying a channel that broadcasted the recorded program;recovering a destination address within the network associated with theidentified channel; recovering from at least one server associated withthe recovered destination address a universal start time correspondingto a start time of the broadcast of the program on the identifiedchannel; recovering from the at least one server associated with therecovered destination address a universal time interval corresponding toa duration of the broadcast of the program on the identified channel;synchronizing the recovered universal start time and the recovereduniversal time interval of the broadcast program with a universal starttime and a universal time interval associated with one or morehyperlinks associated with the recorded program according to a sameuniversal time; and computing for the one or more hyperlinks, a relativestart time and a relative time interval, the relative start timecomputed by subtracting the universal start time of the broadcastprogram from the universal start time associated with the one or morehyperlinks, wherein the relative start time, the relative time interval,and the destination address are stored in a local program timing tablein the device.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing informationfor the recovered universal time interval comprises: creating theprogram table for the recorded program; retrieving and storing in theprogram table, the information related to the one or more hyperlinks,the stored information comprising the universal time interval associatedwith the one or more hyperlinks, the destination address within thenetwork associated with the one or more hyperlinks accessing multimediainformation, a hyperlink name and/or a hyperlink description.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, wherein computing for the one or more hyperlinks, arelative time interval by subtracting the universal start time from theuniversal time interval associated with the one or more hyperlinksfurther comprises storing the computed relative time interval for theone or more hyperlinks in the program table.
 4. The method of claim 2,further comprising storing in the program table a program name and auniversal time interval corresponding to the broadcast of the program onthe identified channel.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein a user deviceretrieving the one or more hyperlinks and a receiver device receivingthe broadcast program are separate devices.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the one or more hyperlinks comprises a plurality of hyper linksand wherein accessing information comprises: selecting a hyperlink froma plurality of hyperlinks; accessing the information on a serverconnected to the network using a destination address associated with theselected hyperlink; and retrieving the information from the accessedserver.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein selecting a hyperlink furthercomprises selecting in the program table a hyperlink using a name,description and/or destination address associated with the hyperlink. 8.The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying the retrievedinformation on a user device.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the oneor more hyperlinks are retrieved by a user device comprising a webbrowser, the information is retrieved from a web server, the networkcomprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network, the destination addressescomprises Universal Resource Locators (URLs) and the multimediainformation comprises web pages.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein themultimedia information comprises at least one service.
 11. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the universal time device is integrated with a playerand/or recorder device playing back and/or recording the broadcastprogram.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the recovered universal timeinterval comprises a universal time of the start of the program and atleast one of a universal time corresponding to an end of the programand/or a duration of the program.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein thelocal program timing table is created when the program is recorded. 14.The method of claim 1, further comprising activating the one or morehyperlinks during the relative time interval.
 15. The method of claim 1,wherein the one or more hyperlinks correspond to related topics orsubjects associated with the recorded program.
 16. A system forretrieving a hyperlink associated with a recorded program, the systemcomprising a device coupled to at least one server on a network, thesystem comprising: means for identifying a channel that broadcasted therecorded program; means for recovering a destination address within thenetwork associated with the identified channel; means for recoveringfrom at least one server associated with the recovered destinationaddress a universal start time corresponding to a start time of thebroadcast of the program on the identified channel; means for recoveringfrom the at least one server associated with the recovered destinationaddress a universal time interval corresponding to a duration of thebroadcast of the program on the identified channel; means forsynchronizing the recovered universal start time and the recovereduniversal time interval of the broadcast program with a universal starttime and a universal time interval associated with one or morehyperlinks associated with the recorded program according to a sameuniversal time; and means for computing for the one or more hyperlinks,a relative start time and a relative time interval, the relative starttime computed by subtracting the universal start time of the broadcastprogram from the universal start time associated with the one or morehyperlinks, wherein the relative start time, the relative time interval,and the destination address are stored in a local program timing tablein the device.
 17. A computer program product causing a device toretrieve a hyperlink associated with a recorded program, the devicecoupled to at least one server on a network, the computer programproduct comprising: non-transitory computer readable media havingcomputer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readableprogram code comprising: computer readable program code configured toidentify a channel that broadcasted the recorded program; computerreadable program code configured to recover a destination address withinthe network associated with the identified channel; computer readableprogram code configured to recover from at least one server associatedwith the recovered destination address a universal start timecorresponding to a start time of the broadcast of the program on theidentified channel; computer readable program code configured to recoverfrom the at least one server associated with the recovered destinationaddress a universal time interval corresponding to a duration of thebroadcast of the program on the identified channel; computer readableprogram code configured to synchronize the recovered universal starttime and the recovered universal time interval of the broadcast programwith a universal start time and a universal time interval associatedwith one or more hyperlinks associated with the recorded programaccording to a same universal time; and computer readable program codeconfigured to compute for the one or more hyperlinks, a relative starttime and a relative time interval, the relative start time computed bysubtracting the universal start time of the broadcast program from theuniversal start time associated with the one or more hyperlinks, whereinthe relative start time, the relative time interval, and the destinationaddress are stored in a local program timing table in the device.